1 June 01, 2016
Articles and Statements
1. Emma Camarero, David Varona
Life Story as a Research Technique for Evaluating Formation Processes in Media Literacy for Social Change. Approaching a Case of Success of the Educational Project "Training, Education and Innovation in Audiovisual Media to Raise Awareness of Hunger in Ni
International Journal of Media and Information Literacy, 2016, Vol. (1), Is. 1, pp. 4–10.
Number of views: 1049 Download in PDF
2. Alexander FedorovInternational Journal of Media and Information Literacy, 2016, Vol. (1), Is. 1, pp. 4–10.
Abstract:
Life story has been repeatedly resorted as a research technique in the field of social sciences. The data provided of life stories in the context of the assessment of how learning in media literacy could serve to improve the living condition of an individual, are especially interesting. This paper presents a first scientific approach to study of a success story in media literacy through education project “Training, education and innovation in audiovisual media to raise awareness of hunger in Nicaragua (Nica Project)”. It shows how narrative knowledge is created and constructed through the story Oduber Guevara – one of young people without resources who has participated in this formation- tells about his lived and trained experiences, and explores the concept of ‘narrative knowing’ (Bruner, 1986). Information provided by his live story has been completed with other investigative techniques, which add data about the relevance, appropriateness and necessity to creation of a model of media literacy focused on social change in order to promote empowerment and employability in poor communities.
Life story has been repeatedly resorted as a research technique in the field of social sciences. The data provided of life stories in the context of the assessment of how learning in media literacy could serve to improve the living condition of an individual, are especially interesting. This paper presents a first scientific approach to study of a success story in media literacy through education project “Training, education and innovation in audiovisual media to raise awareness of hunger in Nicaragua (Nica Project)”. It shows how narrative knowledge is created and constructed through the story Oduber Guevara – one of young people without resources who has participated in this formation- tells about his lived and trained experiences, and explores the concept of ‘narrative knowing’ (Bruner, 1986). Information provided by his live story has been completed with other investigative techniques, which add data about the relevance, appropriateness and necessity to creation of a model of media literacy focused on social change in order to promote empowerment and employability in poor communities.
Number of views: 1049 Download in PDF
The Image of the White Movement in the Western Feature Cinema (1931–2016)
International Journal of Media and Information Literacy, 2016, Vol. (1), Is. 1, pp. 11-17.
Number of views: 1069 Download in PDF
3. Dana Petranova, Norbert VrabecInternational Journal of Media and Information Literacy, 2016, Vol. (1), Is. 1, pp. 11-17.
Abstract:
This article gives the way for hermeneutic analysis of the topic of the White movement in the mirror of the Western cinema (1931–2016). The hermeneutical analysis suggests media text comprehension through comparison with historical, cultural tradition and reality; penetration of its logic; through comparison of media images in historical and cultural context by combining historical, hermeneutical analysis of the structural, plot, ethical, ideological, iconographic / visual, media stereotypes and analysis of media text characters. An analysis of this kind of media texts, in our opinion, is particularly important for media literacy education of future historians, culture and art historians, sociologists, psychologists and educators. Thus, the comparative analysis of plot schemes, characters, and ideology of the Western feature films of 1931–2016, in varying degrees of affecting the subject of the White movement, leads to the conclusion about the essential similarity of their media stereotypes. Content analysis of screen media texts of 1931–2016 on the topic related to the White movement allows generally to submit their basic narrative schemes. As for the film of CIS countries, here is, as before, the history of the civil war in Russia, probably will be somewhere in the periphery of the repertoire.
This article gives the way for hermeneutic analysis of the topic of the White movement in the mirror of the Western cinema (1931–2016). The hermeneutical analysis suggests media text comprehension through comparison with historical, cultural tradition and reality; penetration of its logic; through comparison of media images in historical and cultural context by combining historical, hermeneutical analysis of the structural, plot, ethical, ideological, iconographic / visual, media stereotypes and analysis of media text characters. An analysis of this kind of media texts, in our opinion, is particularly important for media literacy education of future historians, culture and art historians, sociologists, psychologists and educators. Thus, the comparative analysis of plot schemes, characters, and ideology of the Western feature films of 1931–2016, in varying degrees of affecting the subject of the White movement, leads to the conclusion about the essential similarity of their media stereotypes. Content analysis of screen media texts of 1931–2016 on the topic related to the White movement allows generally to submit their basic narrative schemes. As for the film of CIS countries, here is, as before, the history of the civil war in Russia, probably will be somewhere in the periphery of the repertoire.
Number of views: 1069 Download in PDF
Age as a Factor in Evaluation of Media Literacy Levels in Slovakia
International Journal of Media and Information Literacy, 2016, Vol. (1), Is. 1, pp. 18-26.
Number of views: 1269 Download in PDF
4. W. James Potter, Chan ThaiInternational Journal of Media and Information Literacy, 2016, Vol. (1), Is. 1, pp. 18-26.
Abstract:
Evaluating media literacy levels in Europe involves a full range of socio-demographic indicators. These include age, gender, highest attained level of education, place of residence where the respondent lives, income level and others. Each of these indicators has a specific influence on the level of media literacy. The objective is to investigate the age of respondents as we consider it one of the most important indicators applied in media literacy research. This article is based data from Slovakia generated in a study named Media Literacy of the Adult Population in Slovakia conducted from 2014 to 2015. This representative study was conducted on a sample of 2815 respondents ranging in age from 16 to 83. The article focuses on selected segments of the research data involving statistical age testing as an important socio-demographic indicator of the level of media literacy in the adult population in Slovakia. The results of the study focused on the level of media literacy of the adult population in Slovakia showed the most significant differences involve age differences. Differences were found across the individual age groups involving traditional and new media, as well as user skills and critical thinking. This is more than a simple generational divide related to digital media as it also involves individual aspects of traditional media, where the level of media competencies and critical thinking appears to decline with age.
Evaluating media literacy levels in Europe involves a full range of socio-demographic indicators. These include age, gender, highest attained level of education, place of residence where the respondent lives, income level and others. Each of these indicators has a specific influence on the level of media literacy. The objective is to investigate the age of respondents as we consider it one of the most important indicators applied in media literacy research. This article is based data from Slovakia generated in a study named Media Literacy of the Adult Population in Slovakia conducted from 2014 to 2015. This representative study was conducted on a sample of 2815 respondents ranging in age from 16 to 83. The article focuses on selected segments of the research data involving statistical age testing as an important socio-demographic indicator of the level of media literacy in the adult population in Slovakia. The results of the study focused on the level of media literacy of the adult population in Slovakia showed the most significant differences involve age differences. Differences were found across the individual age groups involving traditional and new media, as well as user skills and critical thinking. This is more than a simple generational divide related to digital media as it also involves individual aspects of traditional media, where the level of media competencies and critical thinking appears to decline with age.
Number of views: 1269 Download in PDF
Conceptual Challenges in Designing Measures for Media Literacy Studies
International Journal of Media and Information Literacy, 2016, Vol. (1), Is. 1, pp. 27-42.
Number of views: 1053 Download in PDF
5. Irving Lee RotherInternational Journal of Media and Information Literacy, 2016, Vol. (1), Is. 1, pp. 27-42.
Abstract:
The analysis of the existing conceptualizations in the media literacy literature reported in this article revealed that there are considerable gaps in the media literacy literature. While there are a many definitions of media literacy, the existing definitions typically cluster around highlighting several components, especially skills and knowledge but also behaviors and affects. To a lesser extent there is a clustering around certain domains of skills and particular domains of knowledge. But at this point the conceptualizations stop providing detail, and this inadequate degree of specificity in the explication of media literacy requires researchers to fill in conceptual gaps in order to design their measures. The gaps have resulted in the design of a great many measures of questionable validity, which sets up a vicious cycle. Researchers who want to design a test of media literacy go to the literature for guidance, however that literature shows them an overwhelming choice of definitions with no single definition being regarded as the most useful one. Even more problematic is that none of the many definitions provides enough detail to guide researchers very far through the process of designing measures of media literacy. Until more fully explicated definitions of media literacy are offered to scholars, researchers will be left with little guidance, which will result in the continuation of inadequate conceptual foundations for their empirical studies and therefore a fuzzy and incomplete foundation to use as a standard for judging the validity of their measures.
The analysis of the existing conceptualizations in the media literacy literature reported in this article revealed that there are considerable gaps in the media literacy literature. While there are a many definitions of media literacy, the existing definitions typically cluster around highlighting several components, especially skills and knowledge but also behaviors and affects. To a lesser extent there is a clustering around certain domains of skills and particular domains of knowledge. But at this point the conceptualizations stop providing detail, and this inadequate degree of specificity in the explication of media literacy requires researchers to fill in conceptual gaps in order to design their measures. The gaps have resulted in the design of a great many measures of questionable validity, which sets up a vicious cycle. Researchers who want to design a test of media literacy go to the literature for guidance, however that literature shows them an overwhelming choice of definitions with no single definition being regarded as the most useful one. Even more problematic is that none of the many definitions provides enough detail to guide researchers very far through the process of designing measures of media literacy. Until more fully explicated definitions of media literacy are offered to scholars, researchers will be left with little guidance, which will result in the continuation of inadequate conceptual foundations for their empirical studies and therefore a fuzzy and incomplete foundation to use as a standard for judging the validity of their measures.
Number of views: 1053 Download in PDF
The Impact of Media Literacy Curriculum on the Literate Behavior of At-risk Adolescents
International Journal of Media and Information Literacy, 2016, Vol. (1), Is. 1, pp. 43-53.
Number of views: 1015 Download in PDF
6. Art SilverblattInternational Journal of Media and Information Literacy, 2016, Vol. (1), Is. 1, pp. 43-53.
Abstract:
This paper offers an inquiry that involves media education, literacy, media production, and analysis as modes of teaching and inquiry related to students labeled "at-risk." Included are traditional, methodological, interpretive, social, and media issues that are inherent in literacy practices in classroom settings. At the same time, it outlines, practical, and tried non-traditional approaches that consider literary practices with an expanded notion of literacy, both a conceptual and practical bearing on areas such as English Language Arts Methods and Media Education curriculum, multi-media, video production, media text analysis and collaborative learning. Finally this paper argues that the struggle for literacy is one that can often be resolved in unexpected ways. Some of the key questions of this paper are: 1. To what extent are the observations I made about the responses of the ACE students to my Media Education Curriculum idiosyncratic? 2. To what extent are the ACE students’ abilities in dealing with traditional forms of texts affected by their experiences with Media Education Curriculum? 3. Perhaps most important, are the curricular and pedagogical questions which arise from my inquiry. One question is, "Are we willing to rethink who, how, and what we are teaching in order to develop approaches and methodologies that motivate and encourage, not only students who are struggling with traditional schooling practices, but also all students?"
This paper offers an inquiry that involves media education, literacy, media production, and analysis as modes of teaching and inquiry related to students labeled "at-risk." Included are traditional, methodological, interpretive, social, and media issues that are inherent in literacy practices in classroom settings. At the same time, it outlines, practical, and tried non-traditional approaches that consider literary practices with an expanded notion of literacy, both a conceptual and practical bearing on areas such as English Language Arts Methods and Media Education curriculum, multi-media, video production, media text analysis and collaborative learning. Finally this paper argues that the struggle for literacy is one that can often be resolved in unexpected ways. Some of the key questions of this paper are: 1. To what extent are the observations I made about the responses of the ACE students to my Media Education Curriculum idiosyncratic? 2. To what extent are the ACE students’ abilities in dealing with traditional forms of texts affected by their experiences with Media Education Curriculum? 3. Perhaps most important, are the curricular and pedagogical questions which arise from my inquiry. One question is, "Are we willing to rethink who, how, and what we are teaching in order to develop approaches and methodologies that motivate and encourage, not only students who are struggling with traditional schooling practices, but also all students?"
Number of views: 1015 Download in PDF
Reflections on Information Literacy
International Journal of Media and Information Literacy, 2016, Vol. (1), Is. 1, pp. 54-71.
Number of views: 1248 Download in PDF
7. International Journal of Media and Information Literacy, 2016, Vol. (1), Is. 1, pp. 54-71.
Abstract:
Information Literacy is an emerging discipline that operates according to a set of principles and strategies that enable individuals to make sense of the information we are exposed to on an ongoing basis. This discipline, which is defined as the ability to access and assess information, provides a framework that facilitates the discussion of Information with others-including children, peers, and the people responsible for the presentation of information. The paper identifies points of convergence with Media Literacy but makes the point that they remain distinct areas of study. The paper also identifies a series Lines of Inquiry that distinguishes this important discipline. Principle #1: The Body of Information (BOI) to which a person is exposed represents a version of reality. Instituting a BOI is a selective process; much depends upon which pieces of information have been assembled into a coherent narrative. Principle #2: The choice of audience affects the strategy and content of the information. Consequently, assessing the BOI - the composite of Information that has been collected by (or for) an individual—can provide insight into the intended audience. Principle #3: Data is, in itself, neutral. What determines whether it is instructive or deceptive depends largely on who is selecting and assembling the information, why it is being presented, and who is the intended audience.
Information Literacy is an emerging discipline that operates according to a set of principles and strategies that enable individuals to make sense of the information we are exposed to on an ongoing basis. This discipline, which is defined as the ability to access and assess information, provides a framework that facilitates the discussion of Information with others-including children, peers, and the people responsible for the presentation of information. The paper identifies points of convergence with Media Literacy but makes the point that they remain distinct areas of study. The paper also identifies a series Lines of Inquiry that distinguishes this important discipline. Principle #1: The Body of Information (BOI) to which a person is exposed represents a version of reality. Instituting a BOI is a selective process; much depends upon which pieces of information have been assembled into a coherent narrative. Principle #2: The choice of audience affects the strategy and content of the information. Consequently, assessing the BOI - the composite of Information that has been collected by (or for) an individual—can provide insight into the intended audience. Principle #3: Data is, in itself, neutral. What determines whether it is instructive or deceptive depends largely on who is selecting and assembling the information, why it is being presented, and who is the intended audience.
Number of views: 1248 Download in PDF